On Saturday, July 25, 2026 our community and the world lost Dr. Sarah Knuth, one of the foremost thinkers on energy, climate, and just transitions. Sarah was a Fellow of the Climate and Community Institute from its inception and an Associate Professor of Geography at Durham University in England. She was the driving intellectual force behind so much of CCI’s research—from designing a federal offshore wind authority to developing a public home insurance program—reflecting her astonishing curiosity and commitment to fighting for a world we all deserve. Sarah had a voracious appetite for knowledge and was a joy to work with as a collaborator—as evidenced by her massive list of co-authors on topics ranging from applied evaluations of university-level decarbonization to complex conceptual arguments on the nature of value.

Sarah grew up in Northwestern Pennsylvania while deindustrialization was in full swing. She spent her lifetime committed to confronting the forces that impoverish and immiserate, while standing up for the people who propel the economy and the environment they live in. Sarah brought this outlook not just to her work and the deep, meaningful relationships she built through it, but also to her friendships. She was a caring mentor to her graduate students, junior colleagues, and CCI staff and fellows.

Sarah was not only a towering intellect and an influential scholar, but a uniquely compassionate human being.

The Climate and Community Institute will continue the work that we shared in her memory. To keep her legacy alive, we have created the Sarah Knuth Junior Fellowship for Energy Research.

Sarah’s family invites you to make a donation in her memory to Climate and Community Institute.